This Month's Soundtrack, January 2010

Jan 1, 2010 12:00 PM, By Mike Levine

           
 

These releases encompass a diverse array of styles, including chill-out reggae, math rock, hip-hop with lap steel and more.

FAT FREDDY'S DROP: DR. BOONDIGGA & THE BIG BW (THE DROP)

Infectious, soul-infused reggae flows from this New Zealand septet in their second release. Cool vocals, silky horn-section parts and tasty synth lines abound.

This is an excerpt from "The Nod" off Dr. Boondigga & the Big BW (The Drop, 2009), in which you can hear the synth and horn parts working together.

JASON LINDNER: JASON LINDNER GIVES YOU NOW VS. NOW (ANZIC)

Jason Lindner, drummer Mark Guiliana and bassist Panagiotis Andreou are Now Vs. Now, an electric jazz trio that mixes rock and hip-hop elements. The album was produced by Meshell Ndegeocello and mixed by renowned engineer Bob Power.

Jason Lindner's synth work is front and center in this snippet from the song "Big Pump," from Jason Linder Gives You Now Vs. Now (Anzic, 2009).

ROOFTOPS: A FOREST OF POLARITY (CLICKPOP RECORDS)

Comprising three guitars and drums, this self-described “indie-post-math-rock” band from Bellingham, Wash., debuts with a riffy, mainly instrumental album that's both highly listenable and well-played.

Check out the cool riffs and hypnotic playing of the band Rooftops, in this excerpt from the song "Astray Life," from A Forest of Polarity (Clickpop, 2009).

BASSNECTAR: COZZA FRENZY (AMORPHOUS/CHILD'S PLAY)

Lorin Ashton, aka Bassnectar, serves up powerful mix of dubstep, hip-hop and electro that he refers to as “omnitempo maximalism.” Samples, synths and subwoofer-shaking basslines are present throughout.

Here's a video interview with Lorin Ashton, aka Bassnectar, about his production techniques and gear. It also includes excerpts from two of his songs, and his comments on how he produced them.

SLO-MO FEATURING MIC WRECKA: GIMME WHAT YOU GOT (AUTHENTIC RECORDS)

Take a lap-steel guitarist (Mike “Slo-Mo” Brenner) and add a hip-hop front man (Mic Wrecka), and you've got a roots-rock-rap music mélange that works really well.

The unusual blend of hip-hop and lap steel are in evidence in this clip from Want to use this article? Click here for options!
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